The present invention relates to remote starters used primarily with vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remote starter that is useful with engines presenting a high load such as very large gasoline engines and diesel engines.
Remote vehicle starting is known in the industry. Principally in areas where cold weather is encountered, remote starting units may be installed on responding vehicles, including emergency vehicles, tow trucks, and the like. Such starting units are typically of a size that they are readily transportable by a responding vehicle, but remain installed on the vehicle while the vehicle""s engine is started. Cables are typically utilized to electrically connect the remote vehicle starter with the battery of the vehicle. This is a particular problem for firms having a fleet of vehicles that must be routinely started in cold weather.
Presently, remote starting units are essentially battery chargers. Accordingly, the starting unit may have a relatively small gasoline engine driving a generator or an alternator or a plurality of generators or alternators. Starting units may also include a single charged battery or several charged batteries linked together in parallel or series. This could be a hand carried unit or a wheeled unit. These starting units are coupled by cables to the stalled vehicle battery and are usually used to recharge the battery of the stalled vehicle. The starting unit is then kept connected to the recharged stalled vehicle battery during any attempt to start the stalled vehicle engine in order to boost the output of the minimally recharged stalled vehicle battery.
One problem with current remote vehicle starting units is that they take a certain amount of time to impart a charge to the batteries of stalled vehicles. The charge on such batteries is typically substantially dissipated. Usually, once the responding vehicle arrives at the scene of the stalled vehicle, the remote vehicle starting unit is connected to the battery of the stalled vehicle. Then, charging the battery of the stalled vehicle takes a period of five minutes or more. After an initial recharge of the stalled vehicle""s battery is complete, an attempt is usually made to start the engine of the stalled vehicle. The delay encountered while the stalled vehicle""s battery is being initially recharged is often frustrating to both the operator of the responding vehicle and the owner/operator of the stalled vehicle. A capability to instantaneously start the stalled vehicle engine after the starting unit is connected to the remote vehicle starter would be very desirable.
A further limitation of existing remote starting units is that, while generally adequate for starting the relatively small gasoline powered engines of passenger vehicles, such remote starting units are significantly less effective in starting engines that present a significant starting load. Such engines may include large gasoline powered engines or diesel engines of any size.
There is a then need in the industry then for a remote vehicle starting unit capable of starting the engine of a stalled vehicle substantially instantaneously and further having the capability to start engines that present high starting loads such as large gasoline engines and diesel engines.